1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an assembly that can provide alignment adjustments for an optical system.
2. Introduction to the Invention
I have been working with optical systems that typically comprise a base structure, at least two optical elements, and a plurality of displacement actuators that position at least one of the optical elements to the base structure. FIG. 1 shows an example of such an optical system. Here, an optical system 10 includes a base structure 12, and a set of displacement actuators 14. The displacement actuators 14 position two optical elements, namely, a center mirror segment 16, and an associated outer mirror segment 18, or petal, to the base structure 12. (Other, typically included petals, are not fully shown.)
In an ideal employment of the FIG. 1 optical system 10, it is desirable to align the center mirror segment 16 and the petal 18, so that the optical elements define and retain a first curvature profile. For example, in optical systems that I am working on, a first curvature R may have a numerical value of R=10.0 meters, and it is desired, moreover, that it retain this value under arbitrary operating conditions, and to a very high degree of accuracy, for example R=10.0 meters .+-. 0.5 mm.